A Recognition of Shadows

[Rikugurl]

When Aqua looked at Axel, all she could see was an encouraging smile. "I agree. Your people don't want you to be unhappy just for them... and besides... they have Isa who can take care of your throne for awhile, I'm sure..." He glanced back at the prince, seeing the bitter look on his face.
"Roooooooooooooooo~" A low crackling purr came from the dragon as she looked down at the princess. The look on her face looked like she was even smiling, enjoying the idea.
Axel grinned, turning to the prince again before sticking his thumb back to point at Shesha. "Are you going to disagree with a dragon?"

"Ugghhh...." The prince frowned but he paused when he felt a tug on his sleeve, glancing at the blonde warrior at his side and seeing a small smile. It was then that he gave a sigh of defeat before straightening, glaring at the firebender. "Alright... but I must remind you she is a princess and I hope you treat her like it, Axel. Don't keep her long..." He turned and he, with the rest of the warriors, turned and headed back to the palace. "Be careful, sister." He called back.
Ventus was quick to get off his chair, rushing over to the scene. "WOW! So you'll really be traveling with us!?" He asked happily, thrilled that they would now have a waterbender in the group.

They all glanced back as they heard another pair of feet coming, seeing Soran making his way down towards them. As Axel and Aqua went to meet him, the air master turned to Terra and smiled. "That was a really great speech... but is it true...? Are you... not allowed home because you have followed us?"


Back in the oasis, the soft sound of smaller feet came down the stairs and the silverette looked up to see a young boy with black hair and eyes that reflected the sun. The boy seemed a bit confused as he watched the elder guardian putting his tea items away in a bag. "Guardian Riku---"
"Sunil... I have to ask you a big favor..."

[Reno]

Terra chuckled at the compliment, shrugging some as if it was truly no big deal. But he blinked as the other asked him a more personal question. "Ah... welll..."
"You might as well tell him the truth." Roxas spoke up, leaning against the dragon's flank, his arms crossed.
Terra looked up and over at the blonde, his eyebrows pinching together some as he wondered how the other had guessed... but finally he sighed and looked at Ven. "My uncle said I should consider going with you guys. That destiny finally crossed my path... and that last night, I told my parents about my plans... neither of them were happy. We got into an argument about it and I finally told them they couldn't physically stop me from leaving. So my father told me... if he found my gone in the morning... that I can consider myself disowned."
There was a small stretch of silence before Terra faced the airbender. "I didn't want to tell you or Soran because I did not wish for either of you to blame yourselves for my decision. I don't regret coming along; so please don't think too terribly of me."

Soran blinked as he was approached by the opposing benders, tilting his head in curiosity. Something seemed... different. They seemed... happier? "What is going on?"
"Well Avatar, it looks like you're getting an extra traveling partner, if you'll accept her."
"Huh... really? Who?" The Avatar said, looking around.
Aqua cracked a grin and laughed. "Me, silly!"
"Oh...?" He blinked slowly, then his eyes widened and he grinned largely "Oh really?!" He threw his arms around her in a unexpectedly tight hug. "That's wonderful!" He held her at arm;s length. "And you're sure? I mean, what about Isa?"
"Well... you'll have to thank Axel and Terra for that. They sure have a way with words." She chuckled.
Soran tilted his head and looked at Axel, "You really convinced Isa?" The firebender seemed to puff out his chest, gloating as much as possible but he seemed to deflate in surprise when arms wound about him in a tight hug. "You're a great friend Axel~" The airbender said sincerely.

[Rikugurl]

"UT!" Ventus gasped in shock as Terra revealed that he was disowned. He... he never heard of such a thing! "How.... how could parents possibly do that? They...they can't! They love you..." Slowly, he looked pass Terra at his long, lost twin before looking back at Terra. "That's not true. Anyone can say words but the soul is not always connected. Rage can always cloud ones mind, become a storm and tear through things blindly but when the calm comes, they can clearly see the damage they have done. All good people would try to fix what was wronged and though I did not have the pleasure to know her long, I can tell your mother... and father are good people."

He frowned, ignoring the happy calls from Soran as he looked down at the snowy earth. "And if they are truly not, at least you have someone who will always love and care for you who is still family. You can choose your friends but you cannot choose them. We should all be grateful for what we have, no matter how little or grand. If you are with people who make you happy and who love you, you will always be happy and loved."

He looked back up at Terra, giving him a small smile. "There is a saying that were were taught. 'Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. '" He bowed his head slightly before pulling over his hood, walking away towards the Avatar. He paused though, glancing back at Terra. "And we also learned that though speaking the truth my hurt, the person you speak it to will not only be able to guide you but you yourself will find peace. 'There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.'"


"ACK! H-hey! Alright... that's good... you can get off me now!" Axel squirmed in the hug, finding it near impossible to get free but Soran spared him after awhile. He gave a raspy sigh, his lungs still burning from the water that had invaded not even a day ago. Slowly his eyes looked up at Shesha and he realized that she would be very weighed down. "I think you and Ventus will have to fly.... huh?" He paused, looking pass Soran who noticed and looked back too. What they saw was... the guardian walking over to them, a bag bouncing off his hip as he came down the bank. "I will be coming too... if it is not a problem." Riku announced but before Axel could declare it WAS a problem, Soran was already telling him it wasn't.

[Reno]

Roxas rose an eyebrow, watching his brother walk off and sighed, feeling the slight rift between them created by their many years apart. When did he get so wise...?
Blue eyes blinked, watching Ven walk away, before he looked down at the snow, his mind preoccupied with the other's words. He didn't have too much time to mull them over though, before a new problem came about... when a seventh person seemed to be added on this little trip, Axel complaining all the way.

"Oh come on Axel~" Soran said patiently, a large smile on his face as he walked beside the silverette, a little bounce in his step. "Isn't it nice to have another friend along?"
The other snapped back that it WON'T be very nice for any of them when Shesha collapses into the ocean from exhaustion and they all drown!
"Calm down Axel." Aqua said patiently, patting his arm as they stopped around the dragon. "But he is right. Shesha can't possibly manage to take us all the way to the Fire Nation alone, even IF both you airbenders fly the whole way... which probably won't be possible. She's not even supposed to be carrying more than four people at a time."

"So... what do we do...?" Soran said with a frown, looking downtrodden.
As the team stood around, trying to think out their problem reasonably that seemed to have only one solution, Terra pulled out a map from his things, looking it over carefully. "Axel?" He called the other over. "Do you think Shesha has enough strength to carry five of us back to that beach we stayed at?"
"Wait, five? But Terra-"
"I'm not leaving anyone behind Soran. You and Ventus will have to fly the entire way. Can you two manage that?"
The airbenders shared a glance and then nodded confidently. It wasn't too far... but the cold would make it harder to keep up their bending.
"Good." Terra said, rolling up his map. "There's an earth kingdom village just a few miles off from there. We can walk there easily."
"And what's there?" Roxas spoke up.
"Our solution." The brunette responded as he climbed onto the dragon.
"And that is?"
Terra looked at the blonde, and grinned. "An Eel Hound."


"SO..." Soran called as he flew astride Shesha, doing his best to stay on balance with her as she guided them back to the Earth Kingdom mainland. Beside him, Invidia was beating her wings in timed movements, having no trouble at all. "What's an Eel Hound?!"
"They are large amphibians with an incredible sense of smell." Terra called back. "They are also the fastest land and water creatures in the world! They're large enough to hold at least four of us."
"Ah, so half of us can ride on Shesha and the rest of us on the Eel Hound!" Aqua said from where she sat behind Axel, still looking about her in wonder.
"Precisely."
"Yeah, but do you even know how to ride one?!" Roxas spoke up from behind the brunette, sounding critical and unhappy. Like always.
"No! But I suppose it's as good as any time to learn!" Terra laughed.
The blonde sweatdropped and bowed his head, mumbling, "We're doomed."

[Rikugurl]

Ventus wasn't having a hard time keeping up, which would be understandable for an air master. However, he wasn't trying to fly too close to the dragon, keeping his distance from the group some. The cold wind blew in his face which was covered by a piece of cloth. Aqua made sure Soran and Ventus wear them so they wouldn't catch pneumonia from the cold air shooting into their lungs. His distance was for balance... but also for time to think. To think about Terra and Aqua. To think about the future of Axel and his brother. How would this all end? Would they all go their own ways or...

'Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.'

He heard the Elder Monk's voice in his head and he sighed, shaking a bit before clearing his mind.

As for the guardian, he sat behind the princess, figuring he was the closest thing to being her guardian while she was away from the temple. He was silent, only watching the scenery as they went. Terra led them to the beach that they needed to go to. The airbenders were hoping that they could see the Temple on the way back but they were many miles away from it now. Again, Shesha landed in a corkscrew pattern as the benders glided down and they all touched the warm sands of the beach. They could see paths in the forest where the villagers came through to possibly catch fish or to clean their clothes. The mighty dragon was left behind while the rest of the group headed through a path.

And it was pretty instant when the two members of the group from the Water Tribe realized how... not so cold it was anymore. Axel could only grin, glancing back at them. "Ha, wait until we get to the Fire Nation. It will be amusing seeing you walk around naked~" Neither of the water tribe members enjoyed the comment but they didn't have much time to argue before someone yelled "DUCK!" They all did as a rock shot by their heads and Terra was the first to pick up the source. A boy, around their age was standing in the middle of the path, glaring at them. "And who exactly are you people!?" He called, his dark brown eyes narrowing.

[Reno]

"Oh please Axel, I'm not as brittle as you." Came the snappy response, but the two hardly had time to get in a little argument before they heard someone yell to duck and instantly they all did, narrowly missing the rock being flung over them.

They looked forward, seeing the boy standing there and slowly stood up, unsure of what to make of him. Terra scoffed, stepping forward, looking ready to fight right back. "What are you doing, attacking us?!"
"Yeah, you wanna fight, creep?!" Roxas growled, his hands on his swords.
"Terra, Roxas..." Soran said as he stepped forward giving the two a patient frown, before looking as the other boy. "Is there a problem? We're just trying to get to the village."

[Rikugurl]

"TCH! What village!?" He boy growled, his face becoming angered. "Creatures came last night and destroyed most of it! But of course, any villages close by didn't have the pride to come and help us!" He yelled, nearly shaking in his overly sized boots. "Just because we're a poor village doesn't mean we don't count. I had to watch my parent get taken away by those creatures and no matter WHAT I DID, I couldn't stop them. I am trying to get some sea salt water to help aid those who are still in the village... but it's become a ghost town over night. There is just me and a few others left..."

"W-what do you mean when you say 'taken away'? Were they truly kidnapped by these creatures?" Ventus asked concerned, seeing the boy walk down the path towards them. "I mean, the creatures jumped on people and that's all I saw of them. The more people that were attacked, the more shadow creatures there were..." The brunette frowned, his curly sun kissed hair bouncing some from the rough trail. "It like they transformed them into more creatures or something. But I have to hand it to you, you guys have great timing and if you want to help, you can do that by leaving. We refuse any help from anyone now. You're too late..."

[Reno]

The group frowned as they split apart for the angry blonde to walk past. The attacks were getting worse. No, the darkness in the sky last night. They had... mounted an attack? Just how intelligent was their leader?
The young blonde of the group frowned, and for the first time... he worried about his parents back home. How were they fairing under these attacks?

"Would... would you refuse help from the Avatar even?" Soran ventured very slowly and cautiously, realizing the other's pain. But... but he couldn't help but feel partially responsible. The attack on the tribe and the one here probably weren't unconnected. And they happened while he was in the spirit world.
"Soran, what are you doing?" Terra hissed quietly in his ear. "Isn't the spirit in the Fire Nation? We can't just stop and help everyone we come across! We need to get the source." For his efforts, Soran smacked him on the head with his staff.

[Rikugurl]

The boy paused as the balled monk spoke of a possible exception. Slowly, the boy turned his head, an even more angered look on hi face before he spun around and stomped right up to the boy. Ventus tensed, coming closer to his friend, his staff and hands ready to defend him from the angry villager as brown eyes glared down at them. "Is there really a difference? You, him, her," He spoke as he pointed around the group before throwing his hands up into the air, "the Avatar. It doesn't matter. What matters is that no one helped us when we needed it. Now that there is nothing that can be done, all the help in the world comes to aid. If the Avatar can just pop up and bring everyone back, than I guess I can't refuse him but I highly doubt they could possibly do that right here and now."

He pushed off, grabbing his empty buckets again before heading down the path away from the group. "To answer your question, yes, I would refuse the Avatar's help."

Ventus bit his lip, glancing at Soran who he was sure wasn't hiding his emotions this time from the boy. He seemed as wicked as Koh but he was sure he wouldn't be stealing Soran's face.
Axel watched the boy leave as well before shaking his head some, walking up the path. "Come on. Let's get going."

[Reno]

Sora flinched as the boy turned on him, his words full of anger and spite. His heart fell with guilt and shame and his eyes lowered, unable to meet the other's angry gaze. Beside him, Invidia's haunches rose and she bark and growled at him, but he paid her no mind. As he stomped off she huffed and spun around kicking up some dust. Good riddance!

She started to walk with the others but paused when she noticed Sora was not following.
"Soran?" Aqua called, looking at the boy's back as he was turned away from them.
"No."
"No? No what?"
"No, I'm not coming."
"What do you mean you're not coming?" Terra huffed.
"I'm not coming! I... I need to help him." The avatar's shoulders shook a little. But Koh didn't warn him about this. People... disappearing and becoming shadow creatures themselves? It was so bizarre and scary.
"And how are you going to do that?"
"I don't know!! I... I'm going to try and bring everyone back I guess."
"How Soran?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" He exploded, throwing his staff on the floor. "But I have to do something!! It's my job and... and..." The poor boy fell to his knees and held his head in his hands. His voice was choked as he spoke. "There has to be something I can do..."

[Rikugurl]

OOC:
Placed these on hold for you:
community.livejournal.com/pkmncollectors/6704226.html?thread=182384738#t182384738

"Ah! Soran!" Ventus cried as the Avatar fell to his knees. He quickly rushed down the path to him and knelt down, his arm wrapping around the other's back. "Soran.... W-we can help. We can help bring aid and..." But Soran was still sobbing, his words unheard. The air master, for once, felt rather helpless to his usually joyful friend but he could feel the other's pain. He just learned that he was the Avatar and bizzare creatures started to appear, attacking people around the world and they were looking for HIM to help. There was so much pressure... and little answers.

He heard the sound of feet coming, crunching down on the dried leaves and glanced up, seeing the moon guardian standing before Soran. The silverette slowly knelt down and a pale hand reached out to offer. "Sora... A great man may save millions of lives but he cannot save them all, no matter how hard he tries. If you are a jester, you cannot make everyone laugh. If you are a cow-hippo, you cannot feed a whole village and if you are the sun, you cannot give light to everyone. Though wishing you can help everyone... cannot help everyone, it is the effort and time you take to care and feel for them that makes them know you are doing the best one single being possibly can and that... is all you can do."

His hand moved closer, his eyes looking at the tears that fell down Soran's face. "We do not understand the ways of these creatures yet and until we do and until we find the source, there is truly nothing we can do. This is not the only village who has suffered in this world from these creatures but if we can stop it from happening to more, you will be saving millions of lives like the great man. We can only hope... and pray to the spirits that when we rid of these creatures, the things they took will come back and all will be right again. We cannot undo the past but learn to continue on to the future from our mistakes. Now come, Soran. We must hurry and if you find it necessary, we will aid who we can. This is your journey and like a great monk once said... others can only help aid you but you yourself must do it alone."


Axel crossed his arms, his foot taping as his neck rolled some. "It is rather tiresome hearing all this worldly knowledge spew out in such minimal time..."

[Reno]

Teary blue eyes looked up at Riku, the silverette's words rolling over his mind like a careful wave. It was ironic... how there positions has switched as the time of day did. Would he be giving Riku another speech in the evening?

Even still, Sora shut his eyes, the last few tears trickling down his face before he nodded. He knew he was right... but it made it no less painful. The scar of failure was cut into again; he knew it was probably dangerous to consider each town attacked as a failure of his own. What could he of done? Been in three places at once?

But if he had just gone to the Fire Nation to begin with-

His eyes shut. No use wondering if changing his path would have made a difference. Besides, a truth he did know... is if he did not go to the Northern Tribe instead... he would not of made as many friends as he had now.
"Alright. Right... you're right..." He took his hand and let him haul him up, offering a shaky smile. "Thanks Ri." The other blinked at him. "Well... I figure if you're going to nickname me I can return the favor..." He said, a little shy before he helped Ven up as well, "Well, then I guess we'd better get a move on."


Terra frowned and crossed his arms in a bit of a huff. Well that's what he just said - just so much simpler!! Ugh, people and their riddles and five-hundred metaphors and- was Soran taking his hand?! "Jesus, he's part-woman." He mumbled as lowly as he could under his breath but still got a kick in the shin by Aqua.

Of course, Axel had a comment about it all too and Aqua was ready to turn and give him a physical reminder about kindness, but someone else 'kicked' him for her.
"Come on Axel, leave the kid alone." Roxas mumbled, his arms crossing. The red-head gave him a surprised stare; it would be the first time the blonde stood up for any bender. He just gave him a level stare back and rose an eyebrow, speaking softly to not disturb the trio further down the trial, "How would you like to be in his place hm? The entire world counting on you?"

[Rikugurl]

"Tch, I wouldn't have to worry much. I would already know the world would be doomed." The redhead chuckled, just getting a glare from the blonde before he turned and headed up the trail again. "And Terra, you should know by now that monks need long, extended and riddled conversation to understand anything... and why so suddenly agitated? Aren't you suppose to be humble and whatnot? I didn't think you of all people would be in a rush..."

It was the princess this time who had to pull away the fight. Luckily she already knew her fiery friend had a mouth to him so it came to no shock.
They made their way up the path and came to a small opening where some wells were kept, having been destroyed by either the attack the night before or other reasons such as fauna messing with it. However, they didn't have much time to examine it when they heard a yell and looked around, seeing a large, dark skinned man looking up at a tree.

Of course, Ventus and Soran looked at each other before walking over, making the rest of the group follow. When they came closer, they could see that the dark man wasn't by himself but two other light skinned boys were standing around him, looking up as well. Axel glanced up to see what they were looking at and quickly saw the problem when he heard a snarl and hiss coming up from a high branch. It was a bearded cat that was stuck up in the tree and the big kid was trying to coax it down.... by yelling at it.

Ventus frowned, running up in front of the group and saw the problem as well. "Oh! I can he---"
Suddenly the shortest of the boys moved his hands and spun around before pushing his hands out. A small, little tornado suddenly shot out and flew through the trees, catching the cat and making it howl as it was torn from the branch. The boy's hand moved down and the tornado disappeared but the wind remaining let the cat fall gently and into its master arms.

"W-whoa!" Ventus exclaimed, looking at the boy who had just... airbended! "Y-you're an airbender?" He asked excitedly, wondering why one was doing here and trying to see if he recognized him but when the boy looked over, they could all see the eye patch over his eye and the single eye that was much like the color of Terra's father's eyes. From the reaction, the boy could see the tattoos that the short boy had and quickly nodded. "Yes." Came a plain, deep, militant voice.

[Reno]

Terra crossed his arms, the fingers of his right hand drumming against his side in agitation. The problem was... he was starting to get worried. All this talk about home and attacks... had him wondering about his parents, his uncle and Atteris.

He still didn't regret his choice, but he, like Sora, was starting to wish he COULD be in two places at once. But even he knew you didn't handle a block in the river downstream; you had to find the source of the issue and deal with it. Once they found this spirit and took him down, hopefully he would find everyone in town just the same as he left them.

It wasn't long before they found there way towards down, the path clearly trampled down by feet that have passed thousands of times. None of them really expected to run into anyone else so soon as they passed the well - but they did, finding a small group of kids surrounding a tree while trying to wheedle a creature from the tree.

Before Ventus or Soran could do anything... one of them... airbended it out? Soran's eyes widened. He never expected... to see an airbender outside of the temples before!
"Ahh Vivi! What were you doing jumping in trees, ya know? You always get stuck in them, ya know?" The dark-skinned boy said, nuzzling the large cat.
"Tch, should keep that thing on a damn leash." The third boy said quite hostile.
"Ah but Seifer! He likes to run free ya know? A leash would make him so unhappy....... ya know?"
The boy Seifer rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Yeah well he's going to run free right out of your possession at this rate." He turned to face the group, and his eyes narrowed. It was obvious from the look on his face he was no happier than Hayner had been to see them. "And what do YOU all want outsiders?"

[Rikugurl]

"Oh..." Ventus frowned some, remembering that no one around this part didn't want any help and were not accepting any either. Would they have been mad if they helped their pet out of the tree even? "We're just going through the area to look for a... eel..."
"Eel-hound." The shortest of the boys spoke, still a foot or so taller than the airbenders and warrior.
"Right! We're looking for one to get to the Fire Nation."
The boy with the single eye looked over the group, catching his eye with each of the members, trying to figure out why so many people of different lands needed to get to a single one.

It seemed more like an ethnic parade than an adventure group. When he met eyes with the earthbender, Terra looked away quickly, probably remembering his uncle back at home. Next, he looked at... His eye widened when he saw the princess, and quickly looked away himself. "Come." He offered and turned, making his friends groan and complain. They didn't want any help, let alone HELP someone else!